Method of inspecting railroad cars and apparatus therefor



Oct. 16, 1934. M. w. CLEMENT El AL 1,977,170

METHOD OF INSPECTING RAILROAD CARS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept.19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l'lll l N V EN TOR- 7 ifudolflwLJflam Isa JohnWlfawlami,

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METHOD OF INSPECTING RAILROAD CARS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept.19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES: v INVENTQRS;

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METHOD OF INSPECTING RAILROAD CARS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed Sept.19, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 11.

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By Jflhn WATTORNEY Patented Oct. 16, 1934 sNT' orFicE 1,977,170 METHODOF INSPECTING RAILROAD CABS AND APPARATUS THEREFOR" J Martin W. Clement,Haverford, Rudolph L. Kleine, Philadelphia, and John W. Rowland, Paoli,Pa.

Application September 19, 1932, Serial No. 633,702

4 Claims. (01. 104-26) This invention relates to a method of inspectingrailroad cars while the same are moved slowly in groups along a track,as well as to apparatus designed to facilitatesuch an inspection. Theinvention isespecially useful when applied to the inspection of freightcars moving from a receiving yard to a classification yard, and itaffords an inspection by which a great variety of defects whichconstitute common causes-of accidents may be detected, and theirlocation noted so that they may be subsequently remedied.

Generallystated, the object of our invention is to provide an inspectionof cars in active service which is sufficientlycomprehensive inits scopeto cover substantially all visible defects which are likely to causetrain wrecks or serious accidents. In U. S. Letters Patent No.1,793,908, granted to Martin W. Clement February 24, 1931, there isshown and described a method and apparatus for making anunderneathinspection of passing cars as they move slowly over a pit.Differing from the method there disclosed, our present inventioncontemplates a series of examinations of passing cars, conductedsubstantially simultaneously according to a predetermined plan, witheach examination covering-a particular area of each. car, and with theseveral examinations collectively covering substantially the whole ofeach car.

Other more specific objects and advantages parent from the descriptionof an example of the practice thereof, which follows hereinafter,havingreference to the accompanying drawings. Of

the drawings: i

' Fig. I represents a plan view of a section of track equipped withapparatus ofourinvention.

' Fig. II represents a side elevation of the same, showing a'train offreight carsundergoing inspection.' A Fig. III represents an enlargedtransverse sec.- tion of the side pits, takenas indicated by the linesIIIIII of Figs. I and II from which stations the sides and-ends of thecars are inspected. IV represents a longitudinalgcross section of thesame, taken as indicated by the lines IV-IV ofFigIp Fig. V represents anenlarged side elevation of the bridge constituting the station fromwhich which side and verticalrclearance of the cars and their lading ismeasured; and, Y

Fig. VI represents a front elevation of the same. With referenceparticularly to. Figs. I and II of the drawings, there is shown a groupof freight cars being moved in the direction indicated by thecharacteristic of our inventionwill become aparrow, and it maybeassumedthat-the cars thus shown are cars in active service which have come fromthe main line tracks of a railroad system into a receiving yard, andthat fromthere they are being hauledto a classification yard. Incidentto such movement, the cars pass by a series of inspectionstationslocated at spaced intervals along a track. In thepresentexampleof our invention the inspection is conducted along paralleltracks 1, each equipped with a set of inspection stations.

The first of the series of inspection stations is designated at 2., Atthis station twomen stand, one on each side of the track, immediatelyad'- jacent thereto. v} As the cars pass by, at a slow uniform rate ofspeed, preferably at the rate of about two miles per hour, each manopens the'journal box lids and-hookswith a suitable. tool for wastegrabs that may be under the bearings of the journal boxes interferingwith proper distribution of the lubricant. Atthe same time the journalboxes '75 are visually-examinedcarebeing takento see that each journalbox of each truck is subjected .to the same examination. A

3 At a point further along the track, and convenientlyabout one carslength from the initial 30 inspection station, there is a secondstationdesignated at 3. At this station two men, one on each side of the trackand adjacent thereto, setup the packing in the previously opened journalboxes,

In advance of .thesecond station there is an 35 underground inspectionpit 4, of the type shown in the Clement Patent No. 1,793,908,. referredto above. Within'the'pit 4 a man is seated on a swivel chair 5 in aposition such as to command a View lengthwise of the trackin bothdirections, from whichthe running gear-and other under parts of thepassing cars may be readily examined.

The man in the underground inspection pit 4 makes a thorough inspectionof each car for such defectsas crackedarch bars, bent or broken cenv.ter sills; loose wheels, defects in. the brake rig- ,ging, or defectsin any of the other equipment suspended from the bottom of the cars. Bymeans :of ahand valve or other suitable control apparatus, not shown,the .man'in the pit 4 operates a spray markingdevice tocause a jet ofwhitewash. or the like to issue from a nozzle 6 'tomark defective cars.as the defects are observed. I the roofs of passing, cars are inspectedand at At aboutone. cars length in advance of the inspection pit 4,there isastation comprising two .105 side pits '7 disposed on each sideof the track. The side pits '7 are convenientlytermed .half-de'pth pitsbecause thebottom of each pit is at such a level that a, man standingtherein views the .;truc k s ofpassing carsat substantially the level asthe car passes the pits.

of his eye. The side pits 7 are preferably of con crete constructionwith steps 8 leading downward thereto, and each pit is equipped withsuitable marking apparatus for identifying defective cars. In theparticular example illustrated, this apparatus comprises generally astorage tank 9 for whitewash or other marking fluid, =an:ai-r supplyline indicated at 10 in Fig. IV, and-afoot treadle 11 for controllingthe operation of a three-way valve 12 which in turn controls thedischarge of the whitewash to a pipe 13.

from which a spray of whitewash is deliveredto the trucks of passingcars. The spray from the nozzle issues at a point ,above. the level of.the:

spray from the nozzle 6 previously described in and accordingly thelocation of the mark upon the car serves to indicate whether the detectrelatesto the underpart or to the side of the car. At each half-depthpit 7 there is provideda search light 15 mounted for swinging movementat the edgeof the pit and adjustable so that its rays will be thrownupon the sides of the truck frames and other gear suspended at the sidesof the car. From each side pit 7 a speaking tube 16', shown in Fig. IV,leads to the underground inspection; pit {i permitting the men'in theside" pits to be in constant communication with the'rnaniri theunderground pit. Obviously, other means of'communlcatio-n' may beprovided, it being important that the various stations beincommunication with each other so that if the man at'the under} groundinspection pit 4 is uncertain as to whether he sees a defective part andthe part maybe more clearly seen from the side than undemeath, he maythen notify the men in the side pits to be on the lookout for suchdefect. Inasmuch as the pits are located at about onecars length fromthe underground pit, after the man in the underground pit has warned oneof the men in the side pits to be on the lookout for a defect, thelatter will know that the defectis one on the carwhich is just about topass his station. Each side pit 7 is covered whennot in use by a hingedcover 17. When the pit is to be used, the hinged cover 17 is swungupwardly as indicated in Fig. III, and is locked to "an upright support18 7 at the rear of the pit. Pivotally attached to the upright support18 there is a collapsible canopy 19. When the parts of this canopy areextended to the position shown in full lines in Fig.'III, the canopytogether with the cover 17 forms a shelter for the man in the pit. Whenthe partsof the canopy are collapsed, the pit cover l7 may be swungdownward with the canopy housed therebeneath. The collapsed position isindicated by the dot-and-dash lines in FigJIII. I

The inspection conducted by the men in the half-depth side pits 7consists oi'the examination of the trucks and such parts of the brakerigging and other'gear suspended from thebottom of the car as may bevisible from the side. The examination also covers the side walls of thecars, it being the duty of the-men in the halfdepth pits to note suchdefects as more side doors, broken side ladders or'the absence of safetyappliances. The examinationalso includes the end walls of the cars whichare visible fora moment At a point in advance of the half-depth sidepits 7, there is a station 20 at which two men are located, one at eachside'of the track; from which oil may be injected into the journal boxespreviously opened at the first station 2 of the series. The men at theoiling station 20 have available flexible hoses 21 with nozzle controls22; and they oil the journal boxes as required. In cold weather it isfrequently desirable to inject into the journal boxes freshly heated oilwhich will free so-called frozen bearings, so that the cars will-runmore smoothly; This is most desirable where thecars are tobe jpassedover a yard hump from which they roll by their own Weight into theclassification yard. At the poiling station 20 the journal box lids areclosed. The pipe 13 terminates in a spray nozzleld Beyond the previouslydescribed station 20 there is abridge 23 which comprises the finalstation ofthe' series. The bridge 23 consists of an inverted U-shapedframework having a cabin 24. at the topthereof in which a man is seatedon .a swivel chair 25. The man is seated centrally of the track I, andwhile he may view the track in both directions, he generally observesthe cars as they pass toward the bridge and notes such defects as brokenrunning" boards,- loose -vntilatorsand the-like. For this'inspection hehas available search lights 26'which play upon the roofs of thefpassingcars in both-directions.

The bridge 23 also serves as aclearance tower; For this purpose thereare provided swinging'tabs or slats-27, as shown in Fig. VI, arranged inver" tical rows at-the sides of the" framework and in a horizontal; rowsuspended from the top thereof. As long asthetabs orslats 27 remainuntouched, the vertical and side clearance is' not exceeded.If,'h0wever, there is a loose door, or if the lading projects outwardlyto exceed the clearance limits, the projecting article will strik' eone-of the tabs or slats 27, andrecord to the view of the-man in thecabin 24, by means of a suitable indicator, not shown, the point atwhich the clearance limit is exceeded. There is also preferably provideda bell, not/shown, or similar warning alarm to notify the man in thecabin 24 that the clearance limit has been exceeded. Whenever verticalor side clearance is exceeded; or whenever: a defect is noted in-the'roofs of passing cars, the" man in the cabin 24 operates a spray nozzle28 to mark the defective car. 'The operation ofthe spray nozzle 28 isaccomplished in a similar manner to the operation of the previouslydescribed nozzles 6 and 14 at the underground and side pitsrespect'ively. Where two or more parallel tracks are utilized for theinspection the bridge-23 may-be duplicated over each track as indicatedby the broken lines at the right-handside" of Fig. VI.

There is also provided a series of additional flood lights 29 located atsome distance from the track 1 and collectively covering the wholeseries of inspection stations, these lights being useful for the-purposeof night inspection. Moreover, as shown in Fig. IILstationary lights 30are preferably located outside the rails of the track 1 at positionswhere their rays are thrownupw'ard to illuminate the truck frames ofpassingcars. It will be particularly observed that the severalinspection stations are located adjacent to each other so thattheinspection of all parts is substantially simultaneous, and that themajor stations of the series, to wit the underground inproximity to eachother that when'defects' are noted and communicated from onestation toanother there will result no confusion asto which *car of the train isrefeired'to.

The method of conducting the complete inspection of this invention willbe apparent from the description of the individual operations which takeplace at the several stations of the series. It will be particularlynoted that the aggregate of the various individual examinations ofparticular areas of the cars constitutes a comprehensive examination ofsubstantially all parts of the cars, so that all defects visible frombelow, from above, or from the sides or ends of the cars, may be noted.Where such defects are noted, the various marking devices serve toidentify the location of the defects so that when the cars subsequentlyreach the classification yard, the defective cars may be segregated, andthe repair men will be apprised in a general way of the location of thedefect which is to be remedied. Furthermore, it will be especially notedthat the close proximity of the inspection stations enablessubstantially simultaneous inspection of each car, and that the stationsare inter-communicating and so positioned that one inspector may call toanother, either through the speaking tubes or over the ground. lhisrenders possible effective team-work between the several inspectors sothat the complete inspection constitutes not merely the aggregate of theindividual examinations of the cars from each station, for by theco-operative action of the inspectors many defects can be ascertainedwhich would otherwise pass unnoticed.

While we have described one example of the practice of our invention,and one particular set of apparatus useful for facilitating such aninspection, it will be apparent that various changes may be made in theform of the apparatus to be used; that changes may be made in the orderof the individual examinations to which the cars are subjected; and thatcertain features of the invention may be used at times to advantagewithout a corresponding use of other features, all without departingfrom the spirit of our invention as defined in the claims heretoannexed.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A method of comprehensively inspecting railroad cars which consistsin moving the cars slowly and successivelypast a series ofintercoinmunicating inspection stations from each of which a differentarea of the car is visible, one such inspection station being located ata level beneath the track, another at a level above the tops of thecars, and other being located at intermediate levels at the sides of thetrack, and examining each car from each station as it passes thereby,said inspection stations being sufiiciently near each other to admit ofsubstantially simultaneous inspection of the entire car, the facilitiesat each inspection station enabling an inspector to examine therefrom aparticular area of each car and note defects, and the total area thusinspected embracing substantially all of each car, whereby all of itsvisible defects may be noted.-

2. In combination witha railroad track, a half depth inspection pit atthe side of the track, the floor of said pit being at such a level thata man standing therein views passing cars substantially at the level ofthe journal boxes, a hinged cover for said pit and a collapsible canopyon said cover, said canopy being extensible whereby when the cover israised the cover and canopy together afford a shelter for the man in thepit.

3. In combination with a railroad track, a series of inter-communicatinginspection stations, one such inspection station comprising a pitlocated at a level beneath the track, another such station being locatedabove the level of the tops of railroad cars, and other such stationscomprising half-depth pits at the sides of the track from which thetrucks of passing cars may be conveniently examined, said inspectionstations being sufliciently near each other to permit substantiallysimultaneous inspection of the cars as they pass by, and said inspectionstations being so arranged that the inspectors therein may collectivelyview substantially the entire area of each car as it passes, and meansat each said inspection station for applying marks to defective cars insuch manner as to identify the general location of the defectivecondition.

4. A method of comprehensively inspecting railroad cars which consistsin moving the cars slowly and successively past a series ofintercornmunicating inspection stations from each of which a diiierentarea of the car is visible, one such inspection station being located ata level beneath the track, another at a level above the tops of thecars, and others being located at intermediate levels at the sides ofthe track, and examining each car from each station as it passesthereby, said inspection stations being suificiently near each other toadmit of substantially simultaneous inspection of the entire car, thefacilities at each inspection station enabling an inspector to examinetherefrom a particular area of each car and. note defects, and the totalarea thus inspected embracing substantially all of each car, whereby allof its visible defects may be noted, and marking for identification suchcars as are defective, with the marks applied in the general vicinity ofthe defective condition.

MARTIN W. CLEMENT. RUDOLPH L. KLEINE. JOHN W. ROWLAND.

